1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a conveyor provided with least one flexible elongated transport means, which is movable lengthwise by driving means, and with overlapping platforms coupled to said transport means by means of supports for supporting objects to be moved by means of the conveyor, whereby at least some of the supports connecting said platforms to said transport means are capable of pivoting movement with respect to said transport means about pivot axes extending at least substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of said transport means, while means are provided for causing selected supports and the platforms connected thereto to pivot about associated pivot pins in one or move predetermined places, if desired.
2. Discussion of the Background
From French Patent No. 2.182.148 a conveyor comprising spaced-apart platforms is known. Objects can be placed on said platforms at a charging station, and at a desired discharging station of a number of discharging stations disposed along the path of movement of the transport means and the platforms connected thereto a desired platform can be pivoted so as to discharge an object present on the platform in question. A drawback of this known device is that during the pivoting movement of a platform a part of an object present on an adjacent platform which projects beyond said platform may be wedged between the adjacent platforms, which may inter alia disrupt the intended discharge of the objects. Furthermore parts of objects projecting beyond the platforms may become wedged between adjacent platforms when the transport means and the platforms connected thereto pass a curve.
Furthermore conveyors having overlapping platforms are known, whereby the platforms are usually made of a slightly flexible material. It has been considered to arrange such overlapping platforms in such a manner that they can pivot in groups with respect to each other about pivot axes extending in the longitudinal direction of the transport means, in order to discharge objects present on the platforms. Also in this case there will be the danger of parts of objects becoming wedged between the adjacent groups of platforms being capable of pivoting movement with respect to each other.
The object of the invention is to obtain a conveyor of the above kind, wherein the drawbacks of these known conveyors can be avoided.
According to the invention this can be achieved in that the supports are arranged in spaced-apart groups of two supports disposed near each other, whereby the platforms connected to the supports of one group extend from the respective supports in a direction away from each other, and whereby the end of a platform connected to one support of a group which faces away from the support in question is overlapped by the end of a platform connected to the support in question of the adjacent group which faces away from the support of the adjacent group, while screens extending from the adjacent ends of the platforms connected to the supports of a group in the direction of the transport means link up with said ends of the platforms.
When using the construction according to the invention two overlapping platforms and the supports connecting said platforms to the transport means can be pivoted independently of the other platforms, if desired. The screens thereby prevent parts of objects from becoming wedged between the end of a platform which is being pivoted and the facing end of a platform which is not being pivoted. If desired it will of course also be possible to pivot several groups of two overlapping platforms simultaneously, or for example to pivot groups of two overlapping platforms moving one behind the other in succession at a particular point of discharge.
By using the construction according to the invention a conveyor may be obtained wherein the platforms form a substantially closed surface for supporting objects when occupying a position in which they are not pivoted, while it is still possible to discharge objects from the conveyor in a simple and efficient manner without any danger of the objects becoming wedged or the like.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a conveyor provided with at least one flexible elongated transport means, which is built up of links, whereby a link is capable of pivoting movement about a first pivot axis with respect to an adjacent link near one end, said link near its other end being capable of pivoting movement with respect to another adjacent link, about a second pivot axis crossing said first pivot axis at least substantially perpendicularly, while platforms are coupled to said transport means for supporting objects to be moved by means of the conveyor and driving means are provided, which engage the transport means in order to move said transport means in its longitudinal direction.
The object of the invention is to obtain a conveyor of this type, wherein the drive can be effected in a simple manner by means of a driving means engaging one side of the transport means.
According to the invention this may be achieved in that successive links comprise overlapping parts near the pivot axes, through which parts said pivot axes extend, and in that said links are provided, at least on one side, with side faces forming an at least substantially straight closed surface in the extended position of the transport means.
By using the construction according to the invention a conveyor has been obtained wherein the transport means can be guided along a path which varies both in a vertical and in a horizontal direction, while it is possible to realize a regular, continuous drive of the transport means by means of a simple driving belt or driving wheel, which in a straight part of the transport means engages the side faces of the links forming an at least substantially straight closed surface, so that an at least substantially shock-free and low-noise drive can be realized.